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Dead First
From the Bram Stoker award-nominated author of The Spite House comes a bone-chilling new novel about a private investigator hired by a mysterious billionaire to discover why he can’t die.
When private investigator Shyla Sinclair is invited to the looming mansion of eccentric billionaire Saxton Braith, she’s more than a little suspicious. The last thing she expects to see that night is Braith’s assistant driving an iron rod straight through the back of his skull. Scratch that—the last thing she expects to see is Braith’s resurrection afterward.
Braith can’t die, it turns out, but he has no explanation for his immortality, and very few intact memories of his past. Which is why he wants to pay Shyla millions to investigate him, and bring his long-buried history to light.
Shyla can’t help but be intrigued, but she’s also trapped by the offer. Braith has made it clear that he knows she’s the only person he can trust with his secret, because he knows all about hers.
Bold, atmospheric, and utterly frightening, Johnny Compton’s Dead First is spine-chilling supernatural horror about the pursuit of power and the undying need for reckoning.
When private investigator Shyla Sinclair is invited to the looming mansion of eccentric billionaire Saxton Braith, she’s more than a little suspicious. The last thing she expects to see that night is Braith’s assistant driving an iron rod straight through the back of his skull. Scratch that—the last thing she expects to see is Braith’s resurrection afterward.
Braith can’t die, it turns out, but he has no explanation for his immortality, and very few intact memories of his past. Which is why he wants to pay Shyla millions to investigate him, and bring his long-buried history to light.
Shyla can’t help but be intrigued, but she’s also trapped by the offer. Braith has made it clear that he knows she’s the only person he can trust with his secret, because he knows all about hers.
Bold, atmospheric, and utterly frightening, Johnny Compton’s Dead First is spine-chilling supernatural horror about the pursuit of power and the undying need for reckoning.
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First published February 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 16, 2026
Nothing horror'ish about this book. I didn't like the characters and got a little bored with the two amateur detectives. Expected atleast one jump scare.
October 13, 2025
This feels like a standard detective novel with a supernatural twist. There is not much depth to the characters outside of their backstory, and I was not particularly invested in any of them. I had to check several times to make sure this was not part of a series because it felt like I was missing backstory that was repeatedly hinted around. Large parts of the book were really boring.
There are several scary moments in the book, though, and I did feel like those moments were written exceptionally well. Very creepy and well-paced. I'm definitely interested in reading Compton's other books, but this one did not work for me outside of those scary moments.
There are several scary moments in the book, though, and I did feel like those moments were written exceptionally well. Very creepy and well-paced. I'm definitely interested in reading Compton's other books, but this one did not work for me outside of those scary moments.
August 15, 2025
ARC for review. To be published February 10, 2026.
2 stars
PI Shyla Sinclair can’t imagine what billionaire Saxton Braith wants to hire her for, and when she goes to see him she isn’t prepared for what she learns: Braith can’t die. But he’s not quite sure why and he wants a to make sure things stay that way so he wants Shyla to investigate.
Why does Shyla take the job? Braith has something on her and soon Shyla’s situation gets worse when her psychic ex becomes involved.
Some people may really like this bloody horror story but this wasn’t really my thing; a lot of unanswered questions and a bit too gunfighty/ugly violence for my taste. It wasn’t awful, just not for me.
2 stars
PI Shyla Sinclair can’t imagine what billionaire Saxton Braith wants to hire her for, and when she goes to see him she isn’t prepared for what she learns: Braith can’t die. But he’s not quite sure why and he wants a to make sure things stay that way so he wants Shyla to investigate.
Why does Shyla take the job? Braith has something on her and soon Shyla’s situation gets worse when her psychic ex becomes involved.
Some people may really like this bloody horror story but this wasn’t really my thing; a lot of unanswered questions and a bit too gunfighty/ugly violence for my taste. It wasn’t awful, just not for me.
February 28, 2026
unfortch, not my favorite. I lost the plot many times and it felt a lil boring :(
loved the aslyum spookies though!
loved the aslyum spookies though!
February 13, 2026
4.25 stars - thank you Putnam for the copy!
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTh9JQd6E/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTh9JQd6E/
December 7, 2025
I’m an absolute sucker for supernatural mysteries & especially love the PI version! This leaned more towards detective novel than horror but still had a few very well developed horror sequences! I think the horror functioned best when the grotesque became the main focus combined with the shifting doubts of our narrator. Genuinely had goosebumps break out & had to sit up in bed for two chunks! Haven’t had this happen since I read The Hollow Places four years ago.
Compton made some unusual choices that I enjoyed. It feels like we’ve been dropped into an ongoing detective series at book five instead of book one. There’s detailed references to previous cases, character backstory or relationships. This builds complete characters with complex motivations that we understand hints of vs a complete profile of how their every trauma leads them to their choices.
It helps serve the horror too. I had to trust the characters without feeling like I knew everything. The MFC is often unsure of her instincts & internally will debate whether she saw what she perceived. These two elements keep the reader guessing, was that real? Could there be a mundane explanation instead? Because I was off balance/ destabilized going into the horror sequences I was creeped me out.
I did struggle with our MFC at times. Her lack of remorse & intense desire to kill certain people made her seem sociopathic. Her tendencies which have commonalities to a much lesser degree with the villain are never really addressed. Also there were times where the author would take two sentences to achieve what one could do. It didn’t make the book repetitive just like there was still fat to trim.
Compton made some unusual choices that I enjoyed. It feels like we’ve been dropped into an ongoing detective series at book five instead of book one. There’s detailed references to previous cases, character backstory or relationships. This builds complete characters with complex motivations that we understand hints of vs a complete profile of how their every trauma leads them to their choices.
It helps serve the horror too. I had to trust the characters without feeling like I knew everything. The MFC is often unsure of her instincts & internally will debate whether she saw what she perceived. These two elements keep the reader guessing, was that real? Could there be a mundane explanation instead? Because I was off balance/ destabilized going into the horror sequences I was creeped me out.
I did struggle with our MFC at times. Her lack of remorse & intense desire to kill certain people made her seem sociopathic. Her tendencies which have commonalities to a much lesser degree with the villain are never really addressed. Also there were times where the author would take two sentences to achieve what one could do. It didn’t make the book repetitive just like there was still fat to trim.
did-not-finish
January 24, 2026I gave it to over 120 pages and sadly am dnfing. I thought it was a horror novel, and yes there’s a supernatural/horror aspect, but it’s a detective procedural. I was not in the mood for that. If you like procedurals, this is your book!
February 10, 2026
Dead First was so atmospheric, and quite entertaining! Also, billionaires are terrible people! Shyla, our main character, is summoned to shitty person reclusive billionaire Saxton Braith's house. Honestly even his name makes me mad. I digress. He has a secret, and he needs her help: He cannot die, and he wants her to figure out why. Well, that is a big ask for our private investigator, is it not? When Shyla's ex-girlfriend and psychic/telepath Jihn joins the band (against Shyla's will, initially), they set out to uncover the secrets of Braith's (long) life, and why it can't end. And, they try to not lose their own along the way.
Shyla's backstory is quite compelling too, and I really enjoyed learning more about that. I also really loved her dynamics with Jihn, Braith's hired hand Remy and without giving away too much, some of the folks who are involved in Braith's situation (not the bad ones, come on guys). I was absolutely invested in the story- not just why Braith couldn't die, but the whole story. My one minor complaint was that the pacing was a wee bit slow at times, but this is a minor gripe in an otherwise solid story.
Bottom Line: I was invested in both the plot and the characters, loved the atmosphere, and consider this one a win!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a solid supernatural mystery with strong detective vibes and some genuinely creepy moments. The atmosphere and setting were well done and kept me engaged throughout the story. I didn’t always connect with the main character and a few parts felt longer than needed, but overall it was an enjoyable read!!
January 5, 2026
Reading for review in the January 2026 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: Supernatural Detective Horror, Emotionally Charged, Original Monster story
Draft Review: Shyla, 27, has cemented herself as the go-to PI for rich eccentrics in Texas, so it is not surprising when Braith wants to hire her to figure out why he cannot die. To provide proof, Shyla watches helplessly as Braith’s assistant violently murders him right in front of her, healing moments later. After this unsettling start readers settle in to follow Shyla and ex-girlfriend, psychic Jinh, as they follow a string of terrifying clues beginning with a plane crash in 1958 and leading them into basements, warrens hidden just beyond plain sight, filled with menacing beings out for blood, but exactly whose blood? Like all solid PI novels, Shyla has her own secrets and Compton keeps readers hooked on both Shyla’s backstory and the original monster tale, revealing deatils with a steady pacing, bringing it all together for a final confrontation that allows Shyla to shine, conquering her personal demons and bringing to light the real horror at the heart of this story.
Verdict: An emotionally charged supernatural mystery with a PI readers will want to hear from again like in The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T Wurth, as well as those who like horror about the uber rich such as Fiend by Alma Katsu.
It is important to note that this is as much a PI novel as it is a horror novel. That is not bad. Both are done well. But readers who are not used to how a PI detective novel needs to be written, might not enjoy it as much as a horror novel. I thought those details were done very well. We have well placed red herrings, great investigative detail, back story in Shyla and her former girlfriend/partner Jinh (a psychic) as they work together to investigate. And most importantly, Shyla as our PI is built well. We understand her motivation, her past, and how it all works to make her who she is. The sympathy for her is built well.
The horror part is original and interesting. The client-- Braith- an uber rich TX guy who cannot die-- we see it right at the start-- hiring Shyla to figure out why. Of course it is not that simple. He is not just a vampire and he has ulterior motives etc.. We know this, Shyla knows this. But Compton pulls it off. The horror/monster/supernatural things at not cookie cutter in anyway. The backstory is developed well and how Shyla's specific background and traumas are used to resolve it all is also good.
I am being vague because the reader is told form the start that Shyla has secrets but Compton reveals them slowly which allows the unease to build realistically and keeps the reader interested, turning the pages, without Compton having to sacrifice the pacing and investigation moving forward but still giving us the details we need.
There is an easter egg connection to Compton's first love-- The Spite House. Also a hint that Shyla might be back. This could be a series.
References to The Monkey's Paw a famous story by English author W.W. Jacobs-- first published in 1902 are used here. Enough info is given about that story to allow readers who are unfamiliar with it to understand. Also the story has been adapted and used in other stories enough that people are familiar a bit.
Readalikes-- The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth is a great readalike here. Both are solid supernatural PI stories with strong investigative details, an emotion backstory, and original monster to be stalking.
Harry Dresden fans and Sandman Slims will like this too. Those readers are always eager for new, original supernatural PI stories.
Fans of Alma Katsu's 2025 FIEND, focused on an under rich family has some cross over appeal here too, especially for those who don't want more investigative elements but want the rich family with "monstrous" secrets.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Supernatural Detective Horror, Emotionally Charged, Original Monster story
Draft Review: Shyla, 27, has cemented herself as the go-to PI for rich eccentrics in Texas, so it is not surprising when Braith wants to hire her to figure out why he cannot die. To provide proof, Shyla watches helplessly as Braith’s assistant violently murders him right in front of her, healing moments later. After this unsettling start readers settle in to follow Shyla and ex-girlfriend, psychic Jinh, as they follow a string of terrifying clues beginning with a plane crash in 1958 and leading them into basements, warrens hidden just beyond plain sight, filled with menacing beings out for blood, but exactly whose blood? Like all solid PI novels, Shyla has her own secrets and Compton keeps readers hooked on both Shyla’s backstory and the original monster tale, revealing deatils with a steady pacing, bringing it all together for a final confrontation that allows Shyla to shine, conquering her personal demons and bringing to light the real horror at the heart of this story.
Verdict: An emotionally charged supernatural mystery with a PI readers will want to hear from again like in The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T Wurth, as well as those who like horror about the uber rich such as Fiend by Alma Katsu.
It is important to note that this is as much a PI novel as it is a horror novel. That is not bad. Both are done well. But readers who are not used to how a PI detective novel needs to be written, might not enjoy it as much as a horror novel. I thought those details were done very well. We have well placed red herrings, great investigative detail, back story in Shyla and her former girlfriend/partner Jinh (a psychic) as they work together to investigate. And most importantly, Shyla as our PI is built well. We understand her motivation, her past, and how it all works to make her who she is. The sympathy for her is built well.
The horror part is original and interesting. The client-- Braith- an uber rich TX guy who cannot die-- we see it right at the start-- hiring Shyla to figure out why. Of course it is not that simple. He is not just a vampire and he has ulterior motives etc.. We know this, Shyla knows this. But Compton pulls it off. The horror/monster/supernatural things at not cookie cutter in anyway. The backstory is developed well and how Shyla's specific background and traumas are used to resolve it all is also good.
I am being vague because the reader is told form the start that Shyla has secrets but Compton reveals them slowly which allows the unease to build realistically and keeps the reader interested, turning the pages, without Compton having to sacrifice the pacing and investigation moving forward but still giving us the details we need.
There is an easter egg connection to Compton's first love-- The Spite House. Also a hint that Shyla might be back. This could be a series.
References to The Monkey's Paw a famous story by English author W.W. Jacobs-- first published in 1902 are used here. Enough info is given about that story to allow readers who are unfamiliar with it to understand. Also the story has been adapted and used in other stories enough that people are familiar a bit.
Readalikes-- The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth is a great readalike here. Both are solid supernatural PI stories with strong investigative details, an emotion backstory, and original monster to be stalking.
Harry Dresden fans and Sandman Slims will like this too. Those readers are always eager for new, original supernatural PI stories.
Fans of Alma Katsu's 2025 FIEND, focused on an under rich family has some cross over appeal here too, especially for those who don't want more investigative elements but want the rich family with "monstrous" secrets.
December 17, 2025
A woman is hired to investigate why her client cannot die.. and all hell breaks loose. Literally.
Johnny Compton can write horror! The scenes that included the violent and the paranormal were terrifying and I had to push myself to keep going because I wanted to close my eyes. The way he writes the setting makes you feel like you are there witnessing the events. It was so well done.
Being local to the area, I am very familiar with San Antonio and its paranormal history, so the nods to the town were obvious and strong for me. I have stayed at the Menger Hotel and I cannot shake that it had some inspiration on our adventure. I loved that you could feel the Texas heartbeat throughout.
The only thing I didn’t like was feeling like this was the second or third book in a series, when it wasn’t. There are many references back to a history and another investigation and set of events that the narrator assumes the reader is aware of, except we aren’t. It’s unsettling and instead of being a unique way to provide some character development (like I think Johnny meant to do) it felt more like I was the butt of some inside joke. That everyone was in on something that I was left out of. I can only hope that this means we will get a prequel.
Johnny Compton can write horror! The scenes that included the violent and the paranormal were terrifying and I had to push myself to keep going because I wanted to close my eyes. The way he writes the setting makes you feel like you are there witnessing the events. It was so well done.
Being local to the area, I am very familiar with San Antonio and its paranormal history, so the nods to the town were obvious and strong for me. I have stayed at the Menger Hotel and I cannot shake that it had some inspiration on our adventure. I loved that you could feel the Texas heartbeat throughout.
The only thing I didn’t like was feeling like this was the second or third book in a series, when it wasn’t. There are many references back to a history and another investigation and set of events that the narrator assumes the reader is aware of, except we aren’t. It’s unsettling and instead of being a unique way to provide some character development (like I think Johnny meant to do) it felt more like I was the butt of some inside joke. That everyone was in on something that I was left out of. I can only hope that this means we will get a prequel.
March 8, 2026
A bit disappointing, innit?
February 25, 2026
DON’T DEAD
BORING INSIDE
BORING INSIDE
October 17, 2025
While not my favorite book from the author, there's still so much good here.
It starts with a bang, but then slows to a slightly more methodical and atmospheric read. I'll honest that the first half of the book was a little slower than I liked - I read it in fits and starts. However, once we got to the 2nd half, it was a dark and horrific rollercoaster ride until the end.
I adored Shyla and Remy. I didn't care so much for Shyla's ex.
The author managed to do some powerful worldbuilding and (aside from a couple of long back story bits), I was definitely in.
Not a perfect read, but 3.5 trending 4 and I'm looking forward to the author's next offering.
* ARC via Publisher
It starts with a bang, but then slows to a slightly more methodical and atmospheric read. I'll honest that the first half of the book was a little slower than I liked - I read it in fits and starts. However, once we got to the 2nd half, it was a dark and horrific rollercoaster ride until the end.
I adored Shyla and Remy. I didn't care so much for Shyla's ex.
The author managed to do some powerful worldbuilding and (aside from a couple of long back story bits), I was definitely in.
Not a perfect read, but 3.5 trending 4 and I'm looking forward to the author's next offering.
* ARC via Publisher
Read
February 12, 2026DNF... too messy. I lost the plot too many times :*(
February 23, 2026
This book held my attention at times. I lost some interest in the story during the middle pages, but the ending picked up with a good amount of action and horror. The main character, Shyla, wasn't that interesting to me. It was a decent read, just not my personal horror genre favorite.
February 27, 2026
4.5 stars
The nitty-gritty: Mystery meets mind-bending supernatural terror in Dead First, a unique tale of revenge, redemption and murder.
Dead First surprised me in just about every possible way. This is a gritty, violent and emotional story that mostly leans into mystery/detective fiction, but there’s a supernatural element that sets it apart. Compton’s writing is so good, and it draws the reader into this very complex but ultimately rewarding story. I did not want to put the book down, because I was so invested in Shyla’s journey. Dead First would make a terrific movie, and I’ll be surprised if someone doesn’t option it.
Shyla Sinclair is a private detective who has been asked to do a job for billionaire Saxton Braith. Braith says he cannot die, and he wants Shyla to figure out why. Shyla doesn’t believe him—at first—but then his assistant Remy shoves a poker through the back of his head to prove it. This demonstration shocks Shyla to her core, as she literally watches Braith’s destroyed face stitch itself back together, right in front of her eyes. Shyla thinks about walking out the door, after all, if Braith can do that, what else is he capable of? But Braith just happens to know Shyla’s deepest, darkest secret, and he uses this knowledge as leverage to convince her to take the job.
Joined by her ex-girlfriend Jinh, a powerful clairvoyant who communicates with spirits, Shyla begins to dig deep into Braith’s past, uncovering shocking events and connections. But the closer she gets to the truth, the weirder things become. What is Braith’s real motivation for getting Shyla involved? And will she survive this dangerous investigation?
Dead First has so many layers, but I’m not going to talk much more about the plot in order to avoid spoilers. Let’s start with the characters, who are all so well developed. The story is told through Shyla’s third person perspective. She has several big secrets in her past that are important to the story, and while I’m dying to tell you what they are, I won’t! Let’s just say these secrets are related to her childhood, and they added so much emotional depth to her character. Shyla is one of the best drawn characters I’ve run into lately: she’s tough, smart and resourceful, she’s able to protect herself, and she’s tenacious when it comes to rooting out the truth, in this case, the truth about Braith, his origins and the real reason he hired her. She also has a decades-old score to settle, which makes her emotional and vulnerable at times.
I loved the other characters as well. Jinh has an interesting ability and “knows” things that others don’t. Although Shyla has been trying to hide her past, Jinh has figured it out, simply because of what she can do. The two women parted on bad terms, but they decide to work together on the case, which is a good thing for the reader since their dynamic together is fantastic. There's a lot of tension and danger in Dead First with Shyla and Jinh right in the middle of the crosshairs, so I was on pins and needles for the entire story and worried about what might happen to them.
Braith is the main villain of the story, although he’s not the only one. He’s a truly heinous human being and is responsible for most of the violence in the story. Not only does he seem to be unkillable, but the way he became unkillable is absolutely horrifying. What makes him even scarier is that he uses mind games to get to his victims, and even Shyla isn’t immune to him.
Compton's story is set in various parts of Texas, and I thought it was the perfect setting, especially the thrilling climax, which takes place in Galveston. The author includes some historical facts about the state, tales of drownings, folktales and witches, all of which add an unsettling tone to the story.
And speaking of unsettling, my favorite parts of the story take place in various abandoned buildings, as Shyla and Jinh sift through clues that lead them from place to place, trying to track down people who are connected to Braith. Some of these horrifying scenes reminded me a lot of Marcus Kliewer’s We Used to Live Here (if you’ve read it, you know!), with dark, narrow hallways, creepy ghost-like figures and subterranean tunnels. The final “good vs. evil” confrontation—Shyla, Jinh and Remy versus Braith—was tense and action-packed, to the point that I was afraid to turn the pages!
The only negatives for me were small ones. The story feels slow in places, especially during some of Shyla’s internal monologue, which gets a bit repetitive at times. There’s also quite a bit going on and a lot of side characters to keep track of, so at times some of the pieces of Braith’s backstory didn’t always come together and make sense.
But overall, I was very impressed with my first Johnny Compton book. Readers who aren’t afraid of dark mysteries and can deal with scenes of graphic violence will not want to miss Dead First.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
The nitty-gritty: Mystery meets mind-bending supernatural terror in Dead First, a unique tale of revenge, redemption and murder.
Dead First surprised me in just about every possible way. This is a gritty, violent and emotional story that mostly leans into mystery/detective fiction, but there’s a supernatural element that sets it apart. Compton’s writing is so good, and it draws the reader into this very complex but ultimately rewarding story. I did not want to put the book down, because I was so invested in Shyla’s journey. Dead First would make a terrific movie, and I’ll be surprised if someone doesn’t option it.
Shyla Sinclair is a private detective who has been asked to do a job for billionaire Saxton Braith. Braith says he cannot die, and he wants Shyla to figure out why. Shyla doesn’t believe him—at first—but then his assistant Remy shoves a poker through the back of his head to prove it. This demonstration shocks Shyla to her core, as she literally watches Braith’s destroyed face stitch itself back together, right in front of her eyes. Shyla thinks about walking out the door, after all, if Braith can do that, what else is he capable of? But Braith just happens to know Shyla’s deepest, darkest secret, and he uses this knowledge as leverage to convince her to take the job.
Joined by her ex-girlfriend Jinh, a powerful clairvoyant who communicates with spirits, Shyla begins to dig deep into Braith’s past, uncovering shocking events and connections. But the closer she gets to the truth, the weirder things become. What is Braith’s real motivation for getting Shyla involved? And will she survive this dangerous investigation?
Dead First has so many layers, but I’m not going to talk much more about the plot in order to avoid spoilers. Let’s start with the characters, who are all so well developed. The story is told through Shyla’s third person perspective. She has several big secrets in her past that are important to the story, and while I’m dying to tell you what they are, I won’t! Let’s just say these secrets are related to her childhood, and they added so much emotional depth to her character. Shyla is one of the best drawn characters I’ve run into lately: she’s tough, smart and resourceful, she’s able to protect herself, and she’s tenacious when it comes to rooting out the truth, in this case, the truth about Braith, his origins and the real reason he hired her. She also has a decades-old score to settle, which makes her emotional and vulnerable at times.
I loved the other characters as well. Jinh has an interesting ability and “knows” things that others don’t. Although Shyla has been trying to hide her past, Jinh has figured it out, simply because of what she can do. The two women parted on bad terms, but they decide to work together on the case, which is a good thing for the reader since their dynamic together is fantastic. There's a lot of tension and danger in Dead First with Shyla and Jinh right in the middle of the crosshairs, so I was on pins and needles for the entire story and worried about what might happen to them.
Braith is the main villain of the story, although he’s not the only one. He’s a truly heinous human being and is responsible for most of the violence in the story. Not only does he seem to be unkillable, but the way he became unkillable is absolutely horrifying. What makes him even scarier is that he uses mind games to get to his victims, and even Shyla isn’t immune to him.
Compton's story is set in various parts of Texas, and I thought it was the perfect setting, especially the thrilling climax, which takes place in Galveston. The author includes some historical facts about the state, tales of drownings, folktales and witches, all of which add an unsettling tone to the story.
And speaking of unsettling, my favorite parts of the story take place in various abandoned buildings, as Shyla and Jinh sift through clues that lead them from place to place, trying to track down people who are connected to Braith. Some of these horrifying scenes reminded me a lot of Marcus Kliewer’s We Used to Live Here (if you’ve read it, you know!), with dark, narrow hallways, creepy ghost-like figures and subterranean tunnels. The final “good vs. evil” confrontation—Shyla, Jinh and Remy versus Braith—was tense and action-packed, to the point that I was afraid to turn the pages!
The only negatives for me were small ones. The story feels slow in places, especially during some of Shyla’s internal monologue, which gets a bit repetitive at times. There’s also quite a bit going on and a lot of side characters to keep track of, so at times some of the pieces of Braith’s backstory didn’t always come together and make sense.
But overall, I was very impressed with my first Johnny Compton book. Readers who aren’t afraid of dark mysteries and can deal with scenes of graphic violence will not want to miss Dead First.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
February 13, 2026
Had to read this for a challenge and it was really just not the book for me. I didn’t like the plot, nothing made sense. I didn’t like the main character, found her unrelatible and unrealistic. Some things that were important were under explained. Other times the writing just seemed to go on and on. Spoiler. I was super annoyed with the whole parent thing/ steeling her at birth. Then having the right for some reason to kill her fake dad. Idk, just didn’t get any of it. Tons of plot holes.
February 18, 2026
BWAF Score: 6/10
TL;DR: Dead First is a slick, vicious supernatural noir that moves like a blade. Johnny Compton fuses private-eye momentum with occult dread, delivering crisp set pieces, grim humor, and a steady sense that power is the real haunting. It’s propulsive, nasty, and smart about predation, with folklore mechanics that actually bite.
Dead First by Johnny Compton is a supernatural noir that knows exactly how to keep your pulse up while it drags you into something old, ugly, and spiritually uninsured. It’s the kind of book that reads like a fast walk through a bad neighborhood with a loaded backstory, where the streetlights keep flickering and you start noticing the same footprints behind you in every puddle.
The opening posture is pure hard-boiled dread: Shyla Sinclair, a private investigator with a fucked past, gets summoned to billionaire Saxton Braith’s manor, a place described like a floodlit fort that turns into a “dark church” after sundown. That vibe is the book’s operating system. Shyla’s job offer quickly becomes a guided tour through Braith’s secrets, including his eerie confidence in what people are, what they want, and how easy they are to push into the shape he needs. And because this is Compton, the story does not dawdle. The chapters move with that clean thriller hunger, but the horror keeps interrupting with blunt, bodily wrongness: head trauma that does not behave like head trauma, the lingering stink of ritual, and the constant suggestion that “wealth” here is not just money but an occult advantage. A PI gets hired by a terrifyingly well-prepared billionaire, uncovers the machinery behind his survival, and gets pulled into a revenge chain that has been waiting a long time to close its fist.
The writing is a close third on Shyla, with enough interiority to make her fear and fury feel lived-in, but not so much navel-gazing that the engine stalls. Shyla’s skepticism is one of the book’s best tonal choices. She’s surrounded by people who believe in things: a clairvoyant ex (Jinh Gang), a billionaire who treats “ESP” like a résumé bullet, and a whole ecosystem of institutional myth. Shyla’s refusal to immediately worship any of it creates friction, and friction creates heat. The dialogue is punchy without trying to be cute, and Compton has a knack for letting people say the sharp thing, then immediately regret saying it, which is how real conversations work when your nerves are already shredded.
This book moves. Shyla investigates, gets leads, hits walls, gets shoved into the next room anyway. There’s a satisfying escalation ladder: the creepy mansion meeting, the widening circle of Braith’s history, the dive into the Yorktown psychiatric hospital lore, then the confrontation sequences that turn “investigation” into “survive this right now.” Compton times reveals with professional confidence, including the way Braith’s past gets teased through photos, archives, and the stink of Garrett Schramm, a pilot with a service record and a trail of sick stories attached. The mid-book doesn’t sag because Compton keeps swapping your flavor of dread: sometimes it’s procedural, sometimes it’s occult, sometimes it’s pure “this guy is a monster and the system makes room for him.” The downside of that efficiency is that it rarely becomes disorienting. It’s propulsive and clear, not a hallucinatory mind-maze.
Braith’s manor feels like wealth weaponized into architecture, all black windows and doors that read like a dare. The Yorktown material adds institutional rot: rumors of secret chapels, “death tunnels,” neglect, and abuse, all filtered through small-town gossip and family memory that gradually stops feeling like gossip. Compton’s recurring motifs are physical and humiliating: hands, wounds, the body as evidence, and the way “inheritance” can mean money, trauma, or an actual cursed object you cannot return to sender. The book’s grossest images do not feel random. They’re tied to the central idea that power is always eating somebody.
Compton knows when to imply and when to show. The “hand of glory” element is handled with the right mix of folklore explanation and tactile disgust: a severed hand preserved into a glove, worshipped, handled, worn, and eventually used as the story’s ugliest instrument of justice. The scenes in the subterranean hospital spaces hit because the book treats them like a battery, a place where belief has been fed for decades and now it’s hungry again. And the action beats are staged cleanly enough that you can picture them, but not so cleanly that they feel sanitized. When bodies get hurt, it’s not glamorous. It’s splintery, rubbery, panicked.
Johnny Compton broke out in the last few years with The Spite House (his debut novel) and followed it with Devils Kill Devils, and he has also published horror short fiction. He’s been recognized by the Horror Writers Association ecosystem, including a Bram Stoker Award nomination for The Spite House, which places him in the “newer, but already widely clocked” tier of modern horror writers. In interviews around Dead First, he’s talked explicitly about wanting a detective noir nested inside horror, and about anger and revenge as thematic fuel, which tracks with how this book keeps returning to the pleasures and costs of payback. He also positions himself as someone steeped in classic spooky storytelling, but writing in a contemporary register that cares about systems, publicity, and how predators hide in plain sight. Dead First reads like a pivot toward a more overt crime-framework than his haunted-house branding, without abandoning the supernatural dread that got him noticed in the first place.
This is a book about predation dressed as opportunity. It’s about how the powerful collect people, how institutions (money, mental health systems, policing, celebrity-adjacent fame) can become cover stories, and how revenge becomes its own kind of faith when there’s no other structure left that feels fair. The title’s idea of being “dead first” is a worldview: some people treat everyone else’s life as the cheap part of the equation, and their own survival as the only real resource. That entitlement is the true monster, and the supernatural elements function like a cosmic audit. Not a moral lesson, not a neat parable, but a reckoning that has been accruing interest.
The book keeps returning to hands, to touch, to what it means to put your mark on somebody else’s life. Compton doesn’t do the prestige-horror fade-out where you’re left squinting at ambiguity like it’s profundity. He commits to resolution while still letting the aftermath sting, especially for Shyla, whose emotional arc involves letting go of a hatred that has kept her upright. The final sequences are brutal in a satisfying way, and they pay off the folklore you’ve been collecting all book. The plotting is clean, the set pieces are legible, the dread is engineered rather than unknowable. If you want a supernatural thriller that feels like it could be adapted without losing its spine, this is your meal. It’s sharp, nasty, and confident.
Read if “billionaire occult bullshit” is your favorite subgenre and you like your revenge served cold.
Skip if you want your monsters to be abstract metaphors instead of knives with backstories.
TL;DR: Dead First is a slick, vicious supernatural noir that moves like a blade. Johnny Compton fuses private-eye momentum with occult dread, delivering crisp set pieces, grim humor, and a steady sense that power is the real haunting. It’s propulsive, nasty, and smart about predation, with folklore mechanics that actually bite.
Dead First by Johnny Compton is a supernatural noir that knows exactly how to keep your pulse up while it drags you into something old, ugly, and spiritually uninsured. It’s the kind of book that reads like a fast walk through a bad neighborhood with a loaded backstory, where the streetlights keep flickering and you start noticing the same footprints behind you in every puddle.
The opening posture is pure hard-boiled dread: Shyla Sinclair, a private investigator with a fucked past, gets summoned to billionaire Saxton Braith’s manor, a place described like a floodlit fort that turns into a “dark church” after sundown. That vibe is the book’s operating system. Shyla’s job offer quickly becomes a guided tour through Braith’s secrets, including his eerie confidence in what people are, what they want, and how easy they are to push into the shape he needs. And because this is Compton, the story does not dawdle. The chapters move with that clean thriller hunger, but the horror keeps interrupting with blunt, bodily wrongness: head trauma that does not behave like head trauma, the lingering stink of ritual, and the constant suggestion that “wealth” here is not just money but an occult advantage. A PI gets hired by a terrifyingly well-prepared billionaire, uncovers the machinery behind his survival, and gets pulled into a revenge chain that has been waiting a long time to close its fist.
The writing is a close third on Shyla, with enough interiority to make her fear and fury feel lived-in, but not so much navel-gazing that the engine stalls. Shyla’s skepticism is one of the book’s best tonal choices. She’s surrounded by people who believe in things: a clairvoyant ex (Jinh Gang), a billionaire who treats “ESP” like a résumé bullet, and a whole ecosystem of institutional myth. Shyla’s refusal to immediately worship any of it creates friction, and friction creates heat. The dialogue is punchy without trying to be cute, and Compton has a knack for letting people say the sharp thing, then immediately regret saying it, which is how real conversations work when your nerves are already shredded.
This book moves. Shyla investigates, gets leads, hits walls, gets shoved into the next room anyway. There’s a satisfying escalation ladder: the creepy mansion meeting, the widening circle of Braith’s history, the dive into the Yorktown psychiatric hospital lore, then the confrontation sequences that turn “investigation” into “survive this right now.” Compton times reveals with professional confidence, including the way Braith’s past gets teased through photos, archives, and the stink of Garrett Schramm, a pilot with a service record and a trail of sick stories attached. The mid-book doesn’t sag because Compton keeps swapping your flavor of dread: sometimes it’s procedural, sometimes it’s occult, sometimes it’s pure “this guy is a monster and the system makes room for him.” The downside of that efficiency is that it rarely becomes disorienting. It’s propulsive and clear, not a hallucinatory mind-maze.
Braith’s manor feels like wealth weaponized into architecture, all black windows and doors that read like a dare. The Yorktown material adds institutional rot: rumors of secret chapels, “death tunnels,” neglect, and abuse, all filtered through small-town gossip and family memory that gradually stops feeling like gossip. Compton’s recurring motifs are physical and humiliating: hands, wounds, the body as evidence, and the way “inheritance” can mean money, trauma, or an actual cursed object you cannot return to sender. The book’s grossest images do not feel random. They’re tied to the central idea that power is always eating somebody.
Compton knows when to imply and when to show. The “hand of glory” element is handled with the right mix of folklore explanation and tactile disgust: a severed hand preserved into a glove, worshipped, handled, worn, and eventually used as the story’s ugliest instrument of justice. The scenes in the subterranean hospital spaces hit because the book treats them like a battery, a place where belief has been fed for decades and now it’s hungry again. And the action beats are staged cleanly enough that you can picture them, but not so cleanly that they feel sanitized. When bodies get hurt, it’s not glamorous. It’s splintery, rubbery, panicked.
Johnny Compton broke out in the last few years with The Spite House (his debut novel) and followed it with Devils Kill Devils, and he has also published horror short fiction. He’s been recognized by the Horror Writers Association ecosystem, including a Bram Stoker Award nomination for The Spite House, which places him in the “newer, but already widely clocked” tier of modern horror writers. In interviews around Dead First, he’s talked explicitly about wanting a detective noir nested inside horror, and about anger and revenge as thematic fuel, which tracks with how this book keeps returning to the pleasures and costs of payback. He also positions himself as someone steeped in classic spooky storytelling, but writing in a contemporary register that cares about systems, publicity, and how predators hide in plain sight. Dead First reads like a pivot toward a more overt crime-framework than his haunted-house branding, without abandoning the supernatural dread that got him noticed in the first place.
This is a book about predation dressed as opportunity. It’s about how the powerful collect people, how institutions (money, mental health systems, policing, celebrity-adjacent fame) can become cover stories, and how revenge becomes its own kind of faith when there’s no other structure left that feels fair. The title’s idea of being “dead first” is a worldview: some people treat everyone else’s life as the cheap part of the equation, and their own survival as the only real resource. That entitlement is the true monster, and the supernatural elements function like a cosmic audit. Not a moral lesson, not a neat parable, but a reckoning that has been accruing interest.
The book keeps returning to hands, to touch, to what it means to put your mark on somebody else’s life. Compton doesn’t do the prestige-horror fade-out where you’re left squinting at ambiguity like it’s profundity. He commits to resolution while still letting the aftermath sting, especially for Shyla, whose emotional arc involves letting go of a hatred that has kept her upright. The final sequences are brutal in a satisfying way, and they pay off the folklore you’ve been collecting all book. The plotting is clean, the set pieces are legible, the dread is engineered rather than unknowable. If you want a supernatural thriller that feels like it could be adapted without losing its spine, this is your meal. It’s sharp, nasty, and confident.
Read if “billionaire occult bullshit” is your favorite subgenre and you like your revenge served cold.
Skip if you want your monsters to be abstract metaphors instead of knives with backstories.
September 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 STARS!
the premise of this drew me in right off the bat. i knew i had to read it. it felt like the author really took a handful of genres and crafted something masterfully good! almost like literally throwing paint on a canvas and out comes a masterpiece of work. the writing style might not be for everyone, but if you give it a chance to immerse yourself in it... it's gritty, gorey, and action-packed. i'd be so hyped if they found a way to make this into a movie. i would def watch that! i'm more of a books > movies type of girl, but this story feels like it would be more impactful on-screen. or maybe that's just me.
one of the major reasons for my rating is that i had trouble really connecting with the characters. i was left wanting more. something about it didn't feel... complete. not sure if that's the word i'm looking for, but as of this moment it's fitting. kind of like there were more questions than answers. i tend to get really invested into the story/characters, so i nitpick. 😅 nonetheless, i did enjoy reading it. it's a solid 3 STARS for now. maybe in the future i'll revisit this read and change my mind. no doubt there're people who would appreciate this much more than i did and rate it higher, because it's still a good story. i'd still recommend it & think it's worth a read. no regrets here!
thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
the premise of this drew me in right off the bat. i knew i had to read it. it felt like the author really took a handful of genres and crafted something masterfully good! almost like literally throwing paint on a canvas and out comes a masterpiece of work. the writing style might not be for everyone, but if you give it a chance to immerse yourself in it... it's gritty, gorey, and action-packed. i'd be so hyped if they found a way to make this into a movie. i would def watch that! i'm more of a books > movies type of girl, but this story feels like it would be more impactful on-screen. or maybe that's just me.
one of the major reasons for my rating is that i had trouble really connecting with the characters. i was left wanting more. something about it didn't feel... complete. not sure if that's the word i'm looking for, but as of this moment it's fitting. kind of like there were more questions than answers. i tend to get really invested into the story/characters, so i nitpick. 😅 nonetheless, i did enjoy reading it. it's a solid 3 STARS for now. maybe in the future i'll revisit this read and change my mind. no doubt there're people who would appreciate this much more than i did and rate it higher, because it's still a good story. i'd still recommend it & think it's worth a read. no regrets here!
thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Johnny Compton the man that you are!!!! This was FANTASTIC. I had a very difficult time peeling myself away from this book every time I picked it up because it was so gripping and atmospheric.
Dead First follows Shyla Sinclair, a private investigator, who gets hired by a mysterious wealthy benefactor, Saxton Braith. He wants her to uncover his shrouded history and the secret behind why he can't die, while she is worried about secrets of her own and her past catching up to her as she hunts for answers.
I love Shyla. She is such a developed and complex character, with a very remarkable backstory that lends itself to a unique internal conflict, which ends up coming to a fruition in a perfect way for the story. Since she is a private investigator, the story has some of the feel of a crime procedural without leaning too heavily into the gritty detective/cop feel.
Another character heavily featured is her psychic ex-girlfriend, Jinh, whom I also thought was wonderful. I love that their relationship was complicated; you could really tell how their interpersonal struggles and character traits influenced the way they interacted with one another, and it made it feel so authentic on the page.
I am never ever going to say no to a supernatural story, but I love to see a fresh take on it, and Dead First absolutely delivered that. There are so many different elements woven into this - immortality, hauntings, cursed objects - but they exist in perfect harmony in the world Compton created. There is certainly a lot going on, but at no point did it ever feel overwhelming or confusing to me, nor did anything feel out of place or introduced without a specific purpose. It was just so satisfying to read!!
Also, as an aside, I just love reading things that are set in Texas lol. It's so fun for me getting to read about San Antonio, Houston, and Galveston and picture everything clearly in my head as the events of the book play out.
If you are craving a good supernatural horror thriller, I definitely would suggest picking this up next month when it comes out! Devils Kill Devils by Compton is also high up on my TBR and I'm looking forward to picking that one up soon!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for this ARC!!! ❤️🖤❤️🖤
Dead First follows Shyla Sinclair, a private investigator, who gets hired by a mysterious wealthy benefactor, Saxton Braith. He wants her to uncover his shrouded history and the secret behind why he can't die, while she is worried about secrets of her own and her past catching up to her as she hunts for answers.
I love Shyla. She is such a developed and complex character, with a very remarkable backstory that lends itself to a unique internal conflict, which ends up coming to a fruition in a perfect way for the story. Since she is a private investigator, the story has some of the feel of a crime procedural without leaning too heavily into the gritty detective/cop feel.
Another character heavily featured is her psychic ex-girlfriend, Jinh, whom I also thought was wonderful. I love that their relationship was complicated; you could really tell how their interpersonal struggles and character traits influenced the way they interacted with one another, and it made it feel so authentic on the page.
I am never ever going to say no to a supernatural story, but I love to see a fresh take on it, and Dead First absolutely delivered that. There are so many different elements woven into this - immortality, hauntings, cursed objects - but they exist in perfect harmony in the world Compton created. There is certainly a lot going on, but at no point did it ever feel overwhelming or confusing to me, nor did anything feel out of place or introduced without a specific purpose. It was just so satisfying to read!!
Also, as an aside, I just love reading things that are set in Texas lol. It's so fun for me getting to read about San Antonio, Houston, and Galveston and picture everything clearly in my head as the events of the book play out.
If you are craving a good supernatural horror thriller, I definitely would suggest picking this up next month when it comes out! Devils Kill Devils by Compton is also high up on my TBR and I'm looking forward to picking that one up soon!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for this ARC!!! ❤️🖤❤️🖤
March 7, 2026
Did not really finish because I got bored after like 5 chapters. It maybe that I wasn't in the right state of mind for the book. Perhaps I'll give it another try some other day.
February 18, 2026
This started off so strong! I was hooked right away. But it fizzled out quickly. By the end I was really bored and barely cared what happened.
February 23, 2026
3.5 stars
January 25, 2026
Not dead and not really loving it!
Shyla is a private investigator who is hired by a business tycoon to answer a vexing question, why can't he die. Shyla is helped by her ex-girlfriend Jihn who is telepathic
Interesting, but.....
The premise was interesting, however, this went a tad long for me. I say that because at a couple points in the story Shyla and Jihn became needlessly confused to me as characters. I had to remind myself that Jihn was the telepathic one and Shyla was the Private investigator.
Good book just needed trimming
Overall I liked this one and would recommend it for fans of noir horror or thrillers such as S.A. Cosby or T Kingfisher.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital review copy!
Shyla is a private investigator who is hired by a business tycoon to answer a vexing question, why can't he die. Shyla is helped by her ex-girlfriend Jihn who is telepathic
Interesting, but.....
The premise was interesting, however, this went a tad long for me. I say that because at a couple points in the story Shyla and Jihn became needlessly confused to me as characters. I had to remind myself that Jihn was the telepathic one and Shyla was the Private investigator.
Good book just needed trimming
Overall I liked this one and would recommend it for fans of noir horror or thrillers such as S.A. Cosby or T Kingfisher.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital review copy!
August 23, 2025
Out February 10th, 2026
Private investigator Shyla Sinclair is summoned to the eerie mansion of Saxton Braith, a reclusive Texas billionaire with a chilling secret—he cannot die. Her skepticism turns to horror when she witnesses Braith’s assistant impale him with an iron rod, only for Braith to resurrect moments later. With no memory of how he became immortal and desperate for answers, Braith offers Shyla a fortune to uncover the truth about his past. But the job comes with strings: Braith knows Shyla’s own buried secrets and insists she’s the only one he can trust.
As Shyla digs deeper into Braith’s shadowy history, she uncovers a web of supernatural forces, forgotten identities, and sinister motives that stretch far beyond the confines of his mansion. The investigation leads her into a world where death is not the end, and power comes at a terrifying cost. Each revelation brings her closer to understanding Braith’s curse—and the role she may unknowingly play in it.
Blending noir detective grit with supernatural horror, Dead First is a haunting exploration of immortality, guilt, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Compton crafts a tense, atmospheric narrative where every answer raises new questions, and the line between investigator and subject begins to blur. It’s a chilling tale of reckoning, where the past refuses to stay buried and the dead don’t always stay dead
Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC!
Private investigator Shyla Sinclair is summoned to the eerie mansion of Saxton Braith, a reclusive Texas billionaire with a chilling secret—he cannot die. Her skepticism turns to horror when she witnesses Braith’s assistant impale him with an iron rod, only for Braith to resurrect moments later. With no memory of how he became immortal and desperate for answers, Braith offers Shyla a fortune to uncover the truth about his past. But the job comes with strings: Braith knows Shyla’s own buried secrets and insists she’s the only one he can trust.
As Shyla digs deeper into Braith’s shadowy history, she uncovers a web of supernatural forces, forgotten identities, and sinister motives that stretch far beyond the confines of his mansion. The investigation leads her into a world where death is not the end, and power comes at a terrifying cost. Each revelation brings her closer to understanding Braith’s curse—and the role she may unknowingly play in it.
Blending noir detective grit with supernatural horror, Dead First is a haunting exploration of immortality, guilt, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Compton crafts a tense, atmospheric narrative where every answer raises new questions, and the line between investigator and subject begins to blur. It’s a chilling tale of reckoning, where the past refuses to stay buried and the dead don’t always stay dead
Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC!
September 28, 2025
The SECOND I see a new release is coming from Johnny Compton, I am all in, so Dead First was at the top of the list for me. Compton has an ease with writing strong atmosphere and setting that just FEEL heavy as you read, and that's something that came across so well in this book. That being said, I think readers of Dead First are going to fall fairly solidly into one of two camps, so let's lay it out.
Who I think WILL enjoy this book:
-fans of detective noir
-readers who like their supernatural horror on the violent side
Who I do NOT think will enjoy this book:
-readers who like to connect deeply with characters
-readers with aversion to violent scenes or torture
I did enjoy the book for the most part, but found myself struggling to really align with any of the characters here. And I don't necessarily think that's BAD - not every character is going to resonate with every reader. But in this case, it made it difficult for me to invest in hopes for any one outcome. That experience aside, I still recommend this book and will be waiting for future releases from Compton.
((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Putnam Books, & Johnny Compton for this complimentary copy.))
Who I think WILL enjoy this book:
-fans of detective noir
-readers who like their supernatural horror on the violent side
Who I do NOT think will enjoy this book:
-readers who like to connect deeply with characters
-readers with aversion to violent scenes or torture
I did enjoy the book for the most part, but found myself struggling to really align with any of the characters here. And I don't necessarily think that's BAD - not every character is going to resonate with every reader. But in this case, it made it difficult for me to invest in hopes for any one outcome. That experience aside, I still recommend this book and will be waiting for future releases from Compton.
((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Putnam Books, & Johnny Compton for this complimentary copy.))
March 7, 2026
Oh Johnny... I think I'm done with you. I'm sorry, but it's not working out.
I'm giving Johnny Compton's Dead First two stars for creativity and effort. I think this story could make a cool TV show, but as a book... I didn't enjoy it at all.
That's a lie. I liked the first 40ish pages. But this is one of those books where the existence of paranormal things is a baseline fact, not something the reader discovers in real time with the characters. And personally, I really struggle with that.
Because ghosts and curses aren't real so telling me they are without one shred of skepticism feels like gaslighting.
I also just don't like how much exposition is required for Compton's lore and backstory. He creates these very elaborate and convoluted histories that end up flowing out of him more like a rock slide than a river. And, as a reader, I want to be swept away by the details, not buried in them.
The further you go into this Dead First, the more rocks pile up. There is WAY too much going on and most of it felt unnecessary and repetitive. The protagonist here has a *traumatic past* that we circle around and around ad nauseum. It became boring and annoying. Also, there's romantic drama with her and her sidekick that we circle around and around ad nauseum. It was also boring and annoying.
And then, a ton of new characters are introduced in the latter half of this and all of a sudden we're witches casting spells and there're other planes of reality and the villain is twirling the shit out of his mustache and I realized I didn't really care about any of it.
Because, ultimately, the characters here have the substantiality of ghosts. Compton spends too much time creating the history of his characters and then gives them very little present-tense personality and charm.
Lastly, this felt more like a paranormal mystery than a horror novel until the end when the rocks start avalanching.
That's all.
I'm giving Johnny Compton's Dead First two stars for creativity and effort. I think this story could make a cool TV show, but as a book... I didn't enjoy it at all.
That's a lie. I liked the first 40ish pages. But this is one of those books where the existence of paranormal things is a baseline fact, not something the reader discovers in real time with the characters. And personally, I really struggle with that.
Because ghosts and curses aren't real so telling me they are without one shred of skepticism feels like gaslighting.
I also just don't like how much exposition is required for Compton's lore and backstory. He creates these very elaborate and convoluted histories that end up flowing out of him more like a rock slide than a river. And, as a reader, I want to be swept away by the details, not buried in them.
The further you go into this Dead First, the more rocks pile up. There is WAY too much going on and most of it felt unnecessary and repetitive. The protagonist here has a *traumatic past* that we circle around and around ad nauseum. It became boring and annoying. Also, there's romantic drama with her and her sidekick that we circle around and around ad nauseum. It was also boring and annoying.
And then, a ton of new characters are introduced in the latter half of this and all of a sudden we're witches casting spells and there're other planes of reality and the villain is twirling the shit out of his mustache and I realized I didn't really care about any of it.
Because, ultimately, the characters here have the substantiality of ghosts. Compton spends too much time creating the history of his characters and then gives them very little present-tense personality and charm.
Lastly, this felt more like a paranormal mystery than a horror novel until the end when the rocks start avalanching.
That's all.
February 22, 2026
Started at 2 stars, but picked up about halfway through. The writing felt just ok but the story was pretty gripping and pulled me along--I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. Found this one as part of a GR challenge for Black History month.
It's a pretty creepy story that takes disturbing turns. A PI is hired by a man who cannot die (and she sees evidence of this) to figure out why not, as he claims not to remember how he developed this condition. There are plenty of twists from there.
Rating: R, for strong language, lots of violence, some gore, and ghosts.
***SPOILERY THOUGHTS***
It's a pretty creepy story that takes disturbing turns. A PI is hired by a man who cannot die (and she sees evidence of this) to figure out why not, as he claims not to remember how he developed this condition. There are plenty of twists from there.
Rating: R, for strong language, lots of violence, some gore, and ghosts.
***SPOILERY THOUGHTS***
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews